


Risking Everything

by Full_Moon_Lover



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pureblood Culture, i'll add more characters along the way, i'm not sure what to tag to be honest, larry stylinson - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-19 13:18:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2389670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Full_Moon_Lover/pseuds/Full_Moon_Lover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been sixteen years since the end of the Second Wizarding War and everything seems to be calm. Life has returned to normal but no one has forgotten what had happened and no one has forgotten what their lives would be like if Harry Potter hadn't succeeded in ridding the world of Voldemort. </p><p>Unfortunately, there are still some pureblood families who still believe Voldemort was on the right track and they'll stop at nothing to get it. Michael's parents might be like that, but he can't find it in himself to help them. Not when his best friend is a muggleborn and his crush as well. </p><p>He just needs to convince Louis to go against their parents with him. It was going to be hard, but MIchael knew that Louis would be willing to do anything for Harry...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Risking Everything

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! When I started writing this I was determined to make it a oneshot. As always, I got excited and decided that it wouldn't be so bad if I made it a chaptered story. I'm going to make each chapter as long as possible so that it doesn't end up being a story with a lot of chapters. I already know where I'm heading with this and I've written quite a bit so, hopefully, updates will be regular. 
> 
> I really hope you enjoy it!

The grounds and castle were quiet today, like it so rarely was. It had been sixteen years since the Battle of Hogwarts were fought on the same grounds and, although everything had long gone back to normal, things still turned quiet on the anniversary of this day. 

No one was going to forget all those who had died for the cause and the many more who got hurt. Life would have been very different if so many people hadn’t joined forces to help Harry Potter defeat Voldemort once and for all. 

Although after sixteen years, things had quieted down considerably, you were still bound to find the odd person or two who wished that things had ended differently on that day, sixteen years before. You could still find families that, secretly, still supported the cause that Voldemort had believed so much in. Rid the world of muggleborns, half-bloods and blood traitors. 

When discussing these kinds of families, the Clifford family often popped up in conversation. The Clifford family could not stand anything having to do with muggleborns and half-bloods. They had not been involved with Voldemort’s ranks during none of the Wizarding Wars but they agreed wholeheartedly with his plan to rid the magical world of anything that was not pureblood. 

The Clifford had kept quiet on their ideals for a few years after Voldemort’s death, not wanting to sound suspicious in the fear of having to get interrogated by the Ministry of Magic, who was doing everything possible to make sure that anyone involved with Voldemort in any way ended up behind bars.  
Clarissa and Zachary, whose son was born, only a few months after the end of the war, did everything in their power to raise a son with the same ideals as them. A son who thought muggeborns and half-bloods were worth less than the dirt on the bottom of his shoes. They even managed for a while; at least until their little Michael started attending Hogwarts. 

*

To this day, Michael will tell you that the happiest day of his life was when he received his Hogwarts letter just a few months before he was to start attending. As a pureblood wizard who was raised amongst magic, Michael knew that he was going to get the letter for sure but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t nervous.  
Countless questions kept running through his head, bringing with them doubt and anxiety. What if there was something wrong with him and he wouldn’t receive his Hogwarts letter? What if the delivery owl got lost on its way to give him the letter and he’d have to stay without one? When he finally did get his letter, only a stern glare from his father could keep him from jumping up and don with joy and excitement.

After he started begging his parents every day to take him to Diagon Alley so that he could start buying everything he was going to need for his first year at Hogwarts. His parents, never having been ones to say no to their son, hadn’t needed a lot of begging to finally agree to take their son shopping for school supplies. Michael spent his day running from one shop to the other in excitement, wanting everything to be the best possible.  
On the 1st of September, Michael woke up earlier than he ever had before and quickly woke up his parents so that they could start getting ready to head to King’s Cross Station in London. They got there an hour and a half before the train was scheduled to depart so his parents had more than enough time to take photos of his very first time going to Hogwarts and for his mum to cry about how much she was going to miss her little boy.

Unfortunately, Zachary had more than enough time to lecture Michael on the importance of staying away from muggleborns and getting into Slytherin. Michael hadn’t been that worried over what house he was going to end up in until his dad brought it up. If he got into anything but Slytherin, he was going to be a disappointment to his entire family and he just couldn’t have that. 

Michael got onto the train a nervous wreck. Suddenly, he wasn’t that looking forward to arriving at Hogwarts anymore. He found an empty compartment and got in, opening the window so as to wave his parents goodbye for the last time. He knew that he was not going to see them again until at least Christmas. His mum had made him promise to write to them every day but he knew that it wouldn’t be the same as talking face to face.

The train started moving, getting further and further away from the station, Michael making sure to keep waving until his parents were out of his sight. He was just about to get comfortable reading a book to pass the time when he heard a quiet knock on the compartment door. He looked up and saw a boy with curly hair waiting to be told that he could walk in. Michael quickly nodded and the curly haired boor opened the door and walked inside. 

“Would you mind if I stayed here? It’s the first almost empty compartment that I’ve seen ever since I got on this train and I don’t really fancy standing up for the whole ride”, he said, a small smile on his face. 

Michael nodded and the boy walked in and started lifting his back in the compartment about him. Michael took the opportunity to study the boy a little more carefully. He was quite tall for his age and, by his robes, he could tell that the boy was a first year like him. His eyes appeared to be green and his hair was curly and a rich brown. “I’m Harry”, he said once he had settled down, holding his hand out. 

Michael hesitantly took his hand and shook it. “Michael”, he said, dropping Harry’s hand. Harry didn’t seem to be at all bothered by Michael’s hesitant nature and just smiled brightly at him. They were both quiet after that; Harry more than happy to sit next to the window and observing the view while Michael was wondering if he really was about to make his first friend before he even made it to Hogwarts. 

He knew that if he actually wanted to be friends with Harry, he was going to have to make conversation so he cleared his throat to get Harry’s attention then asked the first question that came to mind. “Are you excited to start at Hogwarts?” he asked and winced when he realised how stupid he sounded. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when Harry didn’t seem bothered at all by the question and instead nodded vigorously. 

“You have no idea how excited I am although I’m also a little nervous to be honest with you because I’m not really sure what to expect”, Harry said and Michael found himself smiling at the other boy’s bubbly personality and easy smile. 

“I’m excited as well”, Michael said with a little smile. “And nervousness is kind of obvious for me, especially since my dad lectured me on getting in Slytherin before I get on the train.” He hadn’t expected the frown that appeared on Harry’s face at that. 

“You want to be in Slytherin?” Harry asked, biting his lip. “I’m a muggleborn and whoever I’ve met so far has told me that Slytherin is not really the place for me. Not that I think there’s anything wrong with you wanting to be in Slytherin, I just don’t think that house is for me. I hope I’m in Ravenclaw.”

Michael had to try really hard to stop himself from hitting his head against the window. Of course the first tentative friend he had made was a muggleborn. His father would kill him if he knew that he was even talking to one but he just couldn’t find it in himself to cut Harry off and start ignoring him so instead he just smiled and let him talk. 

It didn’t take long for Harry to realise that something was not right and he sighed. “Please tell me you’re not one of those people”, he said, an uncomfortable look coming over his face. 

Michael was really confused by that. What did he mean by ‘one of those people’? “What do you mean by that?” he asked, unsurely. He didn’t think that he had treated Harry differently than he would anyone else but he thought it best to ask. 

Harry sighed and shook his head. “You’re one of those stupid people who think muggleborns are something strange and that shouldn’t exist. Well let me tell you something, whoever thinks that is idiotic and I can’t stand people like that because I happen to know that we can be just as great as purebloods. I read Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century”, he said heatedly. 

Michael couldn’t help but feel a little defensive after Harry’s rant. He might not be as passionate about the cause as his mother and father were, but that didn’t mean that a part of him had believed everything his parents had told him about muggleborns. They had raised him after all. Not to mention that for him, Harry had been insulting his parents, even though Harry had been talking in general. 

“So what if you read Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century? That doesn’t make you a good wizard because even a muggle is capable of reading that book if it happened in their hands. Muggleborns are just poor excuse for wizards and they could never achieve the same amount of greatness as purebloods do because we have always been magic while muggleborns are all special cases derived from lowly squibs”, he said, trying to ignore the hurt look on Harry’s face. Michael could not help but feel a little proud that he had remembered everything that his father had told him. 

As hurt as Harry seemed to be, it didn’t look as if he was about to give up the argument. “I meant that I read Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century so I know all about Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. If it wasn’t for Harry Potter, the wizarding world would not be like it is today and I probably wouldn’t even have been allowed to go to Hogwarts. Neither Harry nor Hermione were pureblood and they still did great things”, he said, Harry said, convinced that he was right. 

Michael’s glare intensified because he couldn’t really argue against what Harry had said. Everyone knew the story of Harry Potter who had brought the Second Wizarding War to an end with the help of his two brave friends, Hermione and Ron. It was also common knowledge that Hermione Granger is a muggleborn but families such as Michael’s always liked to leave that part out. 

As much as he knew that Harry had been right, Michael was not about to let Harry win the argument. A muggleborn couldn’t possibly know more about the wizarding world than Michael, who had been born in it. “You're right, if Voldemort had won than you would have been lucky to even know you had powers, let alone be allowed to go to Hogwarts. Wouldn’t that have made everyone much happier?” he snapped. 

Michael instantly regretted saying that when he saw Harry’s eyes turn wet and his lip wobbling. “It’s people like you that are keeping the wizarding world from progressing forward”, he snapped. With that, he got up, grabbed his bag from the overhead compartment and left with one last glare in Michael’s direction. 

“Well that went great”, Michael muttered after Harry had left. 

That was not the last he that Michael saw of Harry though. The Hogwarts Express arrived at Hogsmeade station only a few hours after their argument and Michael quickly got up and starting leaving the train. The first thing he saw when he hopped off of the train was a big, burly man with a long, black beard that almost reached his tummy and wild, black hair that matched his beard. 

He joined the rest of the first years who were standing in front of Hagrid and quietly urged him to hurry up so that he’d get the chance to get to Hogwarts by travelling across the Black Lake in a boat, like it was tradition for the first years to do. Michael saw Harry staring at Hagrid in awe at the front of the crowd but he looked away before he could get caught staring. 

All the first years followed Hagrid to the rows of boats that would take them across the lake and to Hogwarts. They were told that each boat carried four students so Michael quickly looked around for someone that he could share with. He let out a sigh when he saw that there was only one boat left and Harry was in it with two other first years that he was having a conversation with. 

Michael made his way to it and asked if he could share with them. A shy looking girl nodded and Michael got in, noticing that Harry hadn’t even looked at him once. The boat magically started moving forward on its own and Michael couldn’t help but stare around him in awe of such beautiful sights. His parents had always told him stories of Hogwarts but the real thing could not compare to the tales of his mother and father. 

The boat ride was as awkward as Michael had expected it to be. He tried to start a conversation with the girl, who had taken a break from talking to Harry but every time he tried, Harry would interfere and get her talking to him instead. 

Michael was seething by the time the boat arrived at Hogwarts and he quickly got off and made his way to the castle, wanting to get as far away from Harry as possible. He knew he had been very rude and hurtful to the other boy but he had only been saying what he believed to be the truth and that didn’t give Harry the right to ruin any possible friendships he was about to make. 

He waited, together with the rest of the first years, for someone to come out and explain what was about to happen. He knew, from his parents, that they would be told to walk into the Great Hall and then their names would be called according to their surnames and they would be required to put the Sorting Hat on. Although he already knew all this, he was still excited to hear it all explained by a Hogwarts professor. 

He heard the door in front of them open and looked up to see a very short man who had a shock of white hair. The man introduced himself as Professor Flitwick and said that he was going to be their Charms professor as well as their Head of House if any of them were sorted into Ravenclaw. At that, Michael couldn’t help but think of Harry who had expressed a desire to be sorted into Ravenclaw but he quickly shook his head to clear his head from such thoughts. 

The doors to the Great Hall were finally opened and all the first years walked through until they were all standing in front of a stool with and old, ragged placed on it. Michael looked around him and saw students of all ages from different houses staring at them and couldn’t help but feel nervous. A part of him was also still worried that he wouldn’t get sorted into Slytherin. 

Flitwick started calling out the names and, one by one, the students started putting the Sorting Hat on and then the hat would scream which house they belonged in. It took longer for the sorting hat to sort certain students while others were sorted the minute that the hat touched their heads. 

It was soon Michael’s turn and he could feel his heart drop to his feet when he heard the professor call out, “Clifford Michael.” He gulped then started walking towards the stool, careful to avoid everyone’s eyes. Seeing everyone looking at him would only make him more nervous. He finally reached the bench and sat down, waiting for Flitwick to put the Sorting Hat on his head. 

Michael almost jumped a foot in the air when he heard a voice in his ear. “Quite smart but you’re also very ambitious. I could say that you’re also quite brave but I will go with....Slytherin!” The hat shouted the last part for the whole of the Great Hall to hear and the Slytherin table instantly started clapping and cheering, happy to have a Clifford in their House. Michael breathed out a sigh of relief, glad that he wasn’t about to disappoint his parents then he got up and walked over to the Slytherin table.

Louis Tomlinson was the first one to greet him and Michael was glad since he knew Louis from the dinners that his parents sometimes take him to. Louis was a year older than him so he was in his second year and he was also a pureblood, which is why their two families were close. 

They chatted a little while they observed the rest of the sorting take place. A fair number of students were sorted into Slytherin although the house with the most students sorted into it was Hufflepuff so far. 

“Styles Harry”, he heard Flitwick say and Michael sat up a little straighter, biting his lip. He couldn’t help but wonder if Harry was going to get sorted in Ravenclaw just like he had hoped. The hat was placed on his head and Michael waited to see what the Sorting Hat’s decision would be. It took longer than it had for him for the hat to decide but finally it was done and everyone heard the hat’s voice yelling out, “Slytherin!”

Michael almost fell out of his seat and many of the students sat at the Slytherin table were quiet, not quite sure what they were supposed to do. Everyone knew that Harry was not a pureblood or even a half-blood but they couldn’t really go ask the Sorting Hat to change his mind. 

Michael kept his eyes trained on Harry, wanting to see what his reaction was. Harry had turned white and he was looking at the Sorting Hat in horror. Flitwick cleared his throat to get Harry’s attention and the boy bit his lip but slowly started making his way to the Slytherin table. Many of the Slytherin students had lost interest in the curly haired first year but some others had started glaring heatedly at him and Michael could see that Harry was terrified. Harry finally reached the Slytherin table and sat down in the far corner where there was no one else. 

The sorting went on uneventfully after that and soon the plates in front of them were filling up with delicious food that had Michael’s mouth watering. He kept on chatting over small thing with Louis occasionally sneaking glances at Harry. He sighed when he saw him sitting on his own and playing with his food. Michael knew that no one was really going to make an effort to talk to Harry, not only because he was a muggleborn, but also because he was putting people off with his gloomy appearance.

Knowing that he was about to regret it but feeling sorry for Harry, Michael stood up with a sigh. Louis looked at him, confused but rolled his eyes when he saw him heading Harry’s way. He sat down in front of him and tried his best to ignore Harry’s surprised face. Instead, he put some potato salad and a chicken wing on his place and started eating quietly. The quiet did not last long though since he couldn’t ignore Harry staring at him. “What?” he finally snapped. 

“Why are you sitting with me? I don’t need your pity if that’s what this is about. Just go back to your nice pureblood friends and leave me alone”, Harry snapped, getting over his surprise. Michael had expected such a reaction from Harry so instead he stayed exactly where he was and kept on eating. Harry only got angrier at that though. “Are you ignoring me? What’s the point of coming here if you’re just going to ignore me?”

Michael sighed then looked at Harry. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier”, he said, with a sigh. “It was rude and hurtful of me to say, especially since you were being very nice to me so...I’m sorry”, he said, trying to sound as if this was something that he did everyday when, in reality, Michael was pretty sure that his father would drop dead if he were to see him right now. 

It seemed to have worked though because Harry gave him a tentative smile and finally started eating as well. They were quiet until they both finished eating then Harry looked at him, searching his eyes. “How about we start over?” he settled on saying in the end. He stuck his hand out just like he had done that morning in the train. “Hi, I’m Harry Styles and, apparently, I’m a muggleborn Slytherin.”

Michael couldn’t help but chuckle at that and he shook Harry’s hand, a wide smile on his face. “Hello, I’m Michael Clifford and I’m a pureblood Slytherin but apparently I don’t care anymore.”

And that’s how the friendship between Michael Styles and Michael Clifford was born, unlikely as it seemed to be. 

*


End file.
